Colour always packs a punch and by simply painting your splashback to be bright and bold you can instantly transform dated tiles into a modern feature wall. In this kitchen, I also changed the beige cabinet doors to a rich dark grey shade, and it added great contrast to that amazing green splashback. Here’s how you can do it yourself:
1. Prepare the splashback
Before painting, move as much as you can including shelves and door handles and cover the bench to protect from spillages. Wipe the surface down with cleaner to remove all grease and other contaminants, then apply one coat of primer with a micro fibre roller, following label directions.
While it can be tempting, don’t skip the prep! It is needed to help the paint adhere to give you a great finish. I like using a small roller as it’s easy to manoeuvre into the grout lines.
2. Paint the tiles
The key to this kitchen makeover is tile paint, our White Knight Tile Paint is formulated to protect against mould and mildew and can be tinted in thousands of different Taubmans shades. It’s easy to use too. All you need to do is apply two coats with a quality micro fibre roller following label directions. The paint goes on thick and smooth and if colour palette is high on your radar, this on-trend shade called Taubmans Jester Green, is the one for you.
Be brave but not brash with your choice of colour and have some Taubmans colours made up into test pots. Apply them to large pieces of cardboard to hold against the wall. Once you’ve found your favourite shade have it tinted into the tile paint.
3. Finishing the wall
Redoing the grout lines using a grout pen, like our White Knight Grout Pen, adds a subtle graphic element that’s crisp and professional. Use a straight edge like a long steel ruler to help guide your hand, working from the top down. Don’t add the white lines until the wall is totally dry, leaving it at least a day to be sure. Use a damp cloth to immediately wipe away any wobbly bits as the pen marks dry fast.
4. Transform the cabinets
Remove the cabinet doors if you can, then prepare them using the same cleaner and primer as the tiles, following the label instructions.
Our White Knight Laminate Paint, like the tile paint, can also be tinted to almost any shade. Apply two coats following label instructions. This Taubmans colour called Black Forest is a great contrast to the bright green tiles. I love how it’s dark and rich but doesn’t suck up the light like a true black would, and applying it with a roller gives a professional finish.
Decide if you’re going to change the handles before you paint so you can check the screw holes. If the new handles are positioned differently use a timber filler to smooth over them before priming. Now you’re done!
— Natasha is the founder of Little Red Industries, a DIY specialist and the creative director of the #WhiteKnightRevive series.